Display device for an assistance or support system for transport means

ABSTRACT

To provide a device associated with at least one means of transport, in particular at least one motor vehicle, for the detection, in particular intuitive detection, of the operating and/or system states of at least one assistance/support system for the lateral guidance of the means of transport, in which the acceptance of the assistance/support system is increased, for example in such a way that the response of the system may be readily assessed at any time by the driver of the means of transport, at least one display element is provided for displaying the particular operating and/or system state.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In modern means of transport, such as motor vehicles, for example, it isbecoming increasingly common to provide systems which support the driverof the means of transport in driving same, or which simplify specificdriving maneuvers for the driver; such systems may be subsumed under thegeneral term advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

One class of ADAS currently under development is systems concerning thelateral guidance of the means of transport. The functional scope of suchsystems includes lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping support(LKS), and automatic lateral guidance. However, such systems must beintuitively understandable and operable by the driver of the means oftransport so that the driver is effectively relieved of his drivingtask.

Based on the above-referenced disadvantages and shortcomings, an objectof the present invention is to increase the acceptance of theaforementioned assistance/support systems for means of transport, forexample in such a way that the response of such systems may be readilyassessed at any time by the driver of the means of transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved according to the teachings of the presentinvention by a device associated with at least one means of transport,in particular at least one motor vehicle, for the detection, inparticular intuitive detection, of the operating and/or system states ofat least one assistance/support system for the lateral guidance of themeans of transport.

Consequently, an essence of the present invention is shown in thedefinition of operating/system states to be displayed, as well as in adesign for visually representing these operating/system states, thusproviding a visual and intuitively detectable representation of theparticular operating/system states to the driver of the means oftransport; the driver of the means of transport also receives helpfuland rapid support while learning the system response.

To this end, one or more display elements (for example, one to threedisplay elements for the individual system states) are provided whichare capable of displaying the following system states for the lateralguidance support:

-   -   switched off;    -   switched on, passive (no assistance function active);    -   switched on, actively warning (only LDW active);    -   switched on, actively regulating (only LKS active); and    -   switched on, actively warning and actively regulating (both LDW        and LKS active).

It should be noted that for assistance/support systems without steeringactuators, the latter two system states are omitted.

It is advantageously provided that

-   -   the actively warning state may be displayed by at least one lane        departure warning (LDW);    -   the actively regulating state may be displayed by at least one        lane keeping support (LKS); and    -   the actively warning and actively regulating state may be        displayed by at least one lane departure warning and by at least        one lane keeping support.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, in theswitched-on state it is possible to continuously display whether theassistance/support system has detected a left boundary (or a leftroadway marking) and/or a right boundary (or a right roadway marking);in other words, for informing the driver of the means of transport, adisplay of recognized boundaries or markings is possible even in thepassive state in the method according to the present invention.

Thanks to this advantageous technical measure, which suitably may alsoinclude a separation by main symbol and roadway boundary, the driver ofthe means of transport is supported in such a way that information isprovided as quickly as possible regarding the possibilities and thelimits of the assistance/support system, which in turn improves trafficsafety.

To refine the present invention, in particular in a particularlyinventive manner, a total of up to five display elements may be providedwhich have the following meanings or functions:

-   (a) assistance/support system is switched on;-   (b) left marking (or left roadway boundary) is detected;-   (c) right marking (or right roadway boundary) is detected;-   (d) lane departure warning (LDW) is active; and-   (e) lane keeping support (LKS) is active.

The above-defined system states for the lateral guidance support arepreferably displayed essentially by display elements (a), (d), and (e);two or all three of these display elements (a), (d), and (e) may also berepresented by a single display element, it also being possible in themanner according to the present invention for the different systemstates for the lateral guidance support to be implemented or coded bychanging colors.

However, if display elements (a), (d), and (e) are to be implementedseparately in an advantageous manner, the “degree of freedom” andadditional information such as an error message, warning message, or thelike, must be signaled for each of these display elements by blinking ofthe symbol or by a coloration that differs from the default or normalstated (e.g., red instead of green).

In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, displayelements (b) and (c) may be used to continuously display the state ofthe roadway boundary when the assistance/support system is switched on.

In this regard it should be noted that under certain circumstances, suchas when relatively little space is available on the instrument panel,display elements (b) and (c) may be combined using at least one ANDlogic operation or at least one OR logic operation.

The above-described display elements may be advantageously implementedby backlit pictograms; alternatively or in addition, the displayelements may be embodied with greater flexibility by at least one matrixof preferably multicolored, actively lighting subelements, for exampleby at least one color display screen or at least one light emittingdiode (LED) matrix.

French Patent Application No. FR 2 618 244 describes a unit forobserving and recording the driving behavior of a person, in particulara student driver, for the visualization, support, and monitoring bythird parties such as a tester. Also in the cited document, directions,for example a switching request, are automatically generated, and thesurroundings to the left and right as well as the distance to thevehicle in front are recorded.

However, in contrast to FR 2 618 244, according to the present inventionthe inputs from a support system, not the inputs from the driver of themeans of transport, are visualized. In addition, the display deviceaccording to the present invention does not indicate to what extent thesteering angle should be corrected; moreover, in the present inventioninformation about the particular operating/system state of theassistance/support system is communicated to the driver of the means oftransport.

The display device according to the present invention also does notdescribe the distance from the roadway markings (see FR 2 618 244), butinstead signalizes whether the assistance/support system has detectedroadway markings. Lastly, the display device according to the presentinvention is a device which is advantageously provided for permanentinstallation in a means of transport, and which need not be placed in ameans of transport solely for temporary use.

From PCT International Publication No. WO 00/14697 a system is known forvisually signaling the driving state as well as the change in thedriving state, for example when deceleration occurs without the brakepedal being actuated, for other road users. In contrast, an object ofthe present invention relates to information for the driver of the meansof transport itself about the particular operating/system state of alane keeping support system (assistance/support system) onboard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows in a schematic block representation a first embodiment of adevice according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows in a schematic block representation a second embodiment ofa device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows in a schematic block representation a third embodiment of adevice according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 3 show three embodiments of a device 100 associated witha motor vehicle (not shown for sake of clarity); this device 100 is usedto intuitively detect the operating/system states of a drivingassistance/support system for the lateral guidance of the motor vehicle,and in each case has five display elements 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 fordisplaying the particular operating and/or system states.

A symbol, namely a (stylized) steering wheel, is represented by displayelement 10 which to a certain extent functions as a “main switch” andwhich is directly correlated with the steering task, i.e., with thefunction of the assistance/support system, and which is associatedaccordingly by the driver of the motor vehicle; this display element 10is used primarily to signal to the driver of the motor vehicle whetheror not the assistance/support system is switched on.

Display elements 20 or 30, in contrast, are directed to theoperating/system state for detecting the left marking (->left roadwayboundary) or the right marking (->right roadway boundary), respectively.To this end, in the first embodiment according to FIG. 1, displayelements 20 or 30 are designed as stylized roadway markings (twoessentially vertical lines or bars) left or right, respectively, ofdisplay element 10.

If, on the other hand, display elements 20 or 30 for theoperating/system state for detecting the left marking (->left roadwayboundary) or the right marking (->right roadway boundary) are combinedinto one display element, as is the case for the second embodimentaccording to FIG. 2 and the third embodiment according to FIG. 3, thedesign is an essentially trapezoidal road element in perspective view;this trapezoidal road element is situated under display element 10 inFIGS. 2 and 3.

For display element 40, relating to the activity state of the lanedeparture warning (LDW), a “warning” symbol such as an exclamation signis provided to the driver of the motor vehicle for reasons of intuitiveunderstandability in each of FIGS. 1 through 3, it being possible tointegrate the exclamation sign into a triangular warning sign in theform of a “warning triangle” (see FIG. 1), or also as a loudspeakersymbol.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, it is also possible to symbolicallyrepresent vibrations by display element 10 (steering wheel symbol) byacoustic feedback and/or by tactile feedback to the driver of the meansof transport, which depends on the particular actual implementation ofthe lane departure warning.

For the three embodiments according to FIGS. 1 through 3, displayelement 50 for the activity state of the lane keeping support (LKS) isimplemented by a symbol for rotation, namely, by a double arrow justabove display element 10; in the manner according to the presentinvention a symbol for a retaining force is also possible for displayelement 50, such as in the form of at least one outer arrow next todisplay elements 20 or 30.

In summary, it may be concluded that an integrated and complete designfor designing display elements 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 of a lane keepingsupport system (driver assistance/support system) is provided by thepresent invention, exemplified by the three embodiments in FIGS. 1through 3; in this way the variety of information relevant to the driverof the motor vehicle provided by the driver assistance/support system isdisplayed in a compact, intuitively understandable manner.

1. A device for at least one motor vehicle, the device comprising: adetecting device for detecting states of a lane departure warning and alane keeping support; and at least one display instrument for displayingthe states of the lane departure warning and the lane keeping support,wherein the states are at least one of operating and system states, andwherein the lane departure warning is provided by an actively warningsystem configured to provide a warning for transverse guidance of thevehicle, and wherein the lane keeping support is provided by an activelycontrolling system configured to provide an automatic control of thevehicle with respect to transverse guidance of the vehicle.
 2. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display instrumentis adapted to separately or simultaneously display at least one of thefollowing states: the lane departure warning and the lane keepingsupport in a switched-off state; the lane departure warning and the lanekeeping support in a passive state; the lane departure warning and thelane keeping support in an actively warning state; and the lanedeparture warning and the lane keeping support in at least one of (a) atleast one state detecting one left roadway boundary and (b) at least onestate detecting one right roadway boundary.
 3. The device according toclaim 2, wherein the at least one display instrument includes a displayelement, designed as a double arrow, for displaying the lane keepingsupport.
 4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the at least onedisplay instrument includes a display element, designed as one of anexclamation mark, a vibration sign and a warning triangle, fordisplaying the lane departure warning.
 5. The device according to claim2, wherein the at least one display instrument includes at least onedisplay element, designed as one of (a) two substantially verticallines/bars and (b) at least one trapezoid symbolizing a roadway inperspective view, for displaying the at least one of (a) at least onestate detecting one left roadway boundary and (b ) at least one statedetecting one right roadway boundary.
 6. The device according to claim1, wherein the at least one display instrument includes a displayelement designed as at least one backlit pictogram.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the at least one display instrumentincludes a display element designed as at least one matrix ofmulticolored, actively lighting subelements.
 8. The device according toclaim 7, wherein the display element includes one of a color displayscreen and a LED matrix.
 9. The device according to claim 1, wherein thedevice cooperates with an instrument panel of the motor vehicle.
 10. Adevice for at least one motor vehicle, the device comprising: adetecting device for detecting states of a lane departure warning and alane keeping support; and at least one display instrument for displayinga particular at least one of the states of the lane departure warningand the lane keeping support, wherein the states are at least one ofoperating and system states; wherein the at least one display instrumentincludes a display element, designed as a steering wheel, for displayinga function of at least one of the lane departure warning and the lanekeeping support.